Faith Kipyegon broke her own 1500 metres world record on
Saturday, clocking 3:48.68 during the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon.
Competing in the final event of the meet, the Kenyan
middle-distance runner shaved 0.36 seconds off her previous world record of
3:49.04, which she set on June 2, 2023, in Florence, Italy.
The race took place at Hayward Field during the Diamond League event hosted by Nike. Kipyegon led from the early stages, maintaining a consistent pace before accelerating in the final 300 metres to seal the new world record.
Kipyegon now owns the three fastest 1500m times in history
and has extended her dominance in the event. The two-time Olympic and world
champion remains unbeaten in the 1500m since 2021.
The Prefontaine Classic has been a regular stop for Kipyegon
and other top athletes preparing for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The record comes just hours after another Kenyan, Beatrice
Chebet, stunned the field in the 5000 metres at the same meet, breaking the
world record with a time of 13:58.06.
Chebet became the first woman to run under 14 minutes in the
event, surpassing the previous record of 14:00.21 set by Ethiopia's Gudaf
Tsegay in 2023.
The back-to-back victories by Kipyegon and Chebet
highlighted a historic day for Kenyan athletics and women's distance running.
Both athletes have been key figures in Kenya’s recent resurgence on the global
track scene.
The Prefontaine Classic is part of the Wanda Diamond League
series and often serves as a key warm-up event ahead of major global
championships.
With just weeks to the Olympic Games in Paris, Kipyegon's form hints at a strong medal prospect for Kenya in the 1500m.
